I'm Lost

I had the non adjustable band put on in 1992 by Dr. Marcel Molina in Houston, TX. In 1998 I had the band removed to please other people. In October of last year I decided to be rebanded. I called Dr. Molina's office and they told me my current insurance would not work. I have been waiting for September to come so my company would have open enrollment and I could change to an insurance that would allow me to go out of state to have surgery by Dr. Molina in Houston. (I currently have Preferred Plus of Kansas HMO) Friday the email came that open enrollment would start on Sept. 15. I got so excited even though that still means I have to wait till January for it to kick in. I read through the email and then started to panic. My company dropped the insurance I planned to use. I kept reading the sentence over and over because I had thought of this in the back of my mind as one of those "Just my luck" kind of things that might happen. I started to feel the sting in my eyes and it became hard to swallow. I tried to slow down and think it through. There were still about 10 insurance companies listed on the web page that our company has. I went to the page, printed it out and then printed the email and sat down to match them up. I crossed off the insurance policies that our company was cancelling and then I crossed off all of the policies that were for employees in other states only. When I was done I only had two to choose from, the one I already use and Blue Cross PPO. I was trying to remember if Dr. Molina's office said that they couldn't take any PPO or was it something else? So before I let the panic set in I tried to call Dr. Molina's office. The person who answered said "Gastric Surgery, can I help you?" I said, "I called a while back and asked about insurance, and I have another question." She said "Mam, this is just the answering service, this office is closed" I looked at the clock, it was 4:42 on a Friday. I thought that made sense that they might be closed. She then said "The doctor died." I said "oh my gosh, you mean the office is REALLY closed." I told her that I was sad to hear he had died because he was such a nice man who changed so many lives. I then asked if she had been instructed as to whether or not any other doctors were doing this surgery. She told me to call back in about a week when the office would be back open. I said "You mean he JUST died recently??" and she said it had been about two months but that there were a lot of legal things to work out. I thanked her and we hung up and now I am just so heartbroken for lots of reasons. I had worried about this in the back of my mind. I had this surgery by him back in 1992 and even then he seemed like he was in his 70's. I was amazed that 11 years later he was still performing the surgery. I had worried that he wouldn't teach anyone else to do it before something happened. I am very sad that this nice man who helped so many people is no longer with us. And I am trying to adjust to the irony that my fears that had been lurking (both about insurance and about Dr. Molina) actually happened. I'm just sitting here today trying to figure out where to place my hopes next. I have begun researching the newer lap band procedure. But right now I have to decide what insurance to stick with for the next year. I only have two to chose from at my work: Blue Cross PPO and Preferred Plus HMO. However, my husband gets to choose an insurance soon and his choices are Aetna PPO or Coven(?) HMO. Any ideas on where to turn next? Thank you! Paula

Paula...I'm sooo sorry to hear about your surgeon and insurance woes...BIG HUGS. Dr Stevens in Juction City at the LIV-LITE program is starting to do the Lap-Band. The Docs and staff there are really wonderful. You might want to call Pam or Patty and ask them if they take any of your insurance options. The toll free # is 1-877-260-3064. I hope you can find some answers.

Hi. This is Paula. Things are looking up a little. I found Dr. Molina's assistant and am waiting for information from his office. My insurance is being switched to Aetna PPO today and I will go from there. Thank you for the well wishes.